Adjunct use of instant messenger software to enable communications to or between chatterbots or other software agents

Abstract

A method and article of manufacture are provided for communicating confidential information during an electronic chat session. The chat session has a plurality of participants, including human users and associated software controlled agents. The software controlled agents have artificial intelligence. A first human user requests a first software controlled agent associated with the first human user to request information from a second software controlled agent associated with a second human user. The second agent receives authorization to release the requested information. The second agent transmits the requested information, wherein the transmitted information is not revealed to the human users.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of communicating confidential information during an electronic chat session, the chat session having a plurality of participants, wherein the participants include human users and associated software controlled agents, the software controlled agents having artificial intelligence, the method comprising:
 (a) a first human user requesting a first software controlled agent associated with the first human user to request information from a second software controlled agent associated with a second human user; 
 (b) the second agent receiving authorization to release the requested information; and 
 (c) the second agent transmitting the requested information, wherein the transmitted information is not revealed to the human users. 
 
     
     
       2. An article of manufacture for communicating confidential information during an electronic chat session, the chat session having a plurality of participants, wherein the participants include human users and associated software controlled agents, the software controlled agents having artificial intelligence, the article of manufacture comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium encoded with computer-executable instructions for performing a method comprising:
 (a) a first human user requesting a first software controlled agent associated with the first human user to request information from a second software controlled agent associated with a second human user; 
 (b) the second agent receiving authorization to release the requested information; and 
 (c) the second agent transmitting the requested information, wherein the transmitted information is not revealed to the human users.